Volunteers of America - Massachusetts has recently moved its Family Center for Counseling and Education to One Taunton Green. They are in need of some artwork for their reception areas, offices, and conference rooms. They are a non-profit on a limited budget and are hoping to "borrow" some art work and maybe help with an artist's exposure. They have contacted the Arts Collaborative of Taunton and the Taunton Art Association as well.
If interested, please contact
George B. Mathieson, Director of Development www.voamass.org Posted May 25, 2007
Volunteers of America Massachusetts
441 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
phone: 617.522.8086, ext. 118
fax: 617-524-8537
GMathieson@voamass.org
While the "astro-turf"
While the "astro-turf" generated anger targeting health reform continued to grab headlines, Democrats and progressives are pushing back on several fronts. Their counter-punching includes everything from massive ad buys to pro-reform viral emails to aggressive PR about productive Congressional Town Hall meetings that featured strong liberal turnouts. car loans
The President is pressing a new PR offensive in Town Halls scheduled for Montana and Colorado Friday and Saturday, as the White House and Democrats are urging supporters to turn out in large numbers. Groups including Health Care for America Now are posting event calendars online and contacting thousands of activists as part of their plan to step up support for Obama's reform goals. motorcycle insurance
On top of all that, a top union leader, the presumptive incoming AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka, and former DNC chair Gov. Howard Dean both took the toughest stances yet by influential progressive leaders against Blue Dog Democrats who are thwarting what liberals see as meaningful health reform.
A new political factor now enters the health care debate: a re-assertion of political clout by the progressives who helped elect Obama president. As reported on Daily Kos, and cited widely by pro-labor activists, Trumka went to address the Sheet Metal Workers International Association (SMWIA), the first union to suspend all donations to Democrats until both the Employee Free Choice Act and a health care package with a public option passes Congress. While Trumka didn't go that far, he sent unmistakable signals that unions won't be offering a blank check to Democrats regardless of their political positions: houston homes for sale
In very plain and frank language, Trumka warns the conservative Democrats who have wavered on labor and health care reform about the consequences of what working people will do when they are stabbed in the back after working so hard for these Democrats during election time:
"And then there's that other group: those fair weather friends who can't seem to decide which side they're on. I'm talking about politicians who love to have our help come election time, but, always seem to forget us after the votes are counted."
In case anyone wonders who Trumka is talking about, he makes it pretty clear: chicago real estate
"You know who I mean. They've been in the news a lot lately.
They're the ones who say that they're all for health care reform - so long as it doesn't offend the insurance industry and the drug companies.
They're the same people who're saying that the way to pay for it isn't to tax the rich; it's to tax our health care benefits!"
And in case those politicians think working people will just shrug their shoulders and give them handfuls of more campaign cash and volunteers, Trumka iterates:
"We need to send them a special message: it's that you may have forgotten what the labor movement did to get you elected; but, by God, we never will! And if you stab us in the back on health care this year don't you dare ask us for our support next year!"